Middlesex Picks Site For School

March 14, 1992|By TINA McCLOUD Daily Press

SALUDA — Property about four miles east of St. Clare Walker School has been chosen as the favored site for a replacement middle school, proposed to open in the fall of 1993 for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders.

The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors agreed Thursday night to sign an option on about 30 acres at routes 33 and 620 between Locust Hill and Harmony Village. If tests show the land is suitable for the new school and the board decides to buy it, the county will pay owners William A. and Beatrice Blake $4,000 an acre.

The property hasn't been surveyed yet so the acreage is an estimate, said county attorney Michael T. Soberick.

Also during a work session on the middle school proposal Thursday night, Supervisor Jerry L. Bray and County Administrator Norm Risavi said they had consulted with an architect and construction supervisor for public schools in Fairfax to get a second estimate on the cost of the school.

The Fairfax consultants estimated the cost at about $5.6 million, about $418,000 less than the $6.1 million estimated by architects working with the School Board, said Risavi.

The Fairfax consultants also estimated savings of $75,750 by reducing the size of the core areas such as the library and deleting 150 lockers; $165,000 by constructing only the shell of the auditorium; and $320,000 by eliminating the auditorium and choir room, he said.

``It's my feeling we should not even consider not doing that auditorium,'' said Supervisor Lee Weber. The auditorium would be the largest in the county and could be used by community and cultural groups.

``What I hear the public say is, `Do it first class,''' said Supervisor Frank Jessie. The furnishings and equipment should be new, he said. Most of what he saw at the present St. Clare Walker Thursday is ready for the dump, said Jessie.

Board Chairman Fred S. Crittenden asked if school officials could set aside state money in the coming two years to furnish the school.

``I think this money is needed for other instructional needs,'' replied School Superintendent W. Ernest Worley. ``What I don't want to do is deprive other areas of the school community to furnish this school.''

The School Board is trying to develop a budget proposal that will require no increase in local funding in the coming year, he said.

Crittenden said the supervisors will decide which type of school they want to pay for when they meet again Tuesday night.

After that, the board will hold a public hearing April 7 to consider selling bonds through the Virginia Public School Authority.

The supervisors could seek up to $4 million this spring and the remainder in the fall.

It would cost $200,000 a year to pay off the principal of a $4 million loan at 7 percent interest for 20 years, said Risavi.

Interest, payable every six months, would decline from $174,222 on Dec. 15 of this year to $7,000 on Dec. 15, 1211.

Risavi said he hasn't yet calculated the effect of payments on the tax rate.